Exclusive-DOJ antitrust head says Paramount–Warner Bros deal review is not political

try{ var _=i o; . if(!_||_&&typeof _==="object"&&_.expiry Oil prices jump over 3%, WTI touches $100/barrel on Iran escalation Brent tops $110 after hit on world’s largest natural gas field, Fed uncertainty Gold prices hit over a one-month low after Fed holds rates steady as expected Stocks end in the red after Fed expresses uncertainty over impact of oil shock FLASH SALE (South Africa Philippines Nigeria) FLASH SALE Exclusive-DOJ antitrust head says Paramount–Warner Bros deal review is not political By Stock Markets Published 03/18/2026, 03:41 PM Updated 03/18/2026, 09:54 PM Exclusive-DOJ antitrust head says Paramount–Warner Bros deal review is not political 0 WBD -1.05% NFLX 0.36% By Jody Godoy WASHINGTON, March 18 - Paramount Skydance’s proposed acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery will "absolutely not" have a fast track to approval because of political factors, the head of the U.S. Department of Justice’s antitrust division told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday. "The idea that somehow enforcement has been politicized is ludicrous," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Omeed Assefi, who declined to comment on ongoing probes. Warner Bros shares closed down around 1%, while Paramount closed down around 2.5% on Wednesday. Assefi recently resumed his prior post as acting head of the antitrust division after the departure of Gail Slater. He previously served as a special counsel to the White House during Trump’s first administration, and has served in the DOJ for more than eight years, including as a criminal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. "There’ll be more to come on both the mergers and conduct side. We’re aggressive," he said. As an example, Assefi said that in 2025, when he led the antitrust division’s criminal program, the amount of prison time imposed for antitrust crimes rose by 1,200% year over year. DOJ enforcement trend charts show average prison time jumped about fivefold in 2025 from the previous year. PARAMOUNT...